Despite advances in healthcare and occupational rehabilitation, people living with MS often experience ongoing difficulties across their professional and personal lives, which then impact their mental health. Speaking to this, people living with MS have a higher prevalence rate of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, bipolar, suicidality, and psychosis, compared to the general population.

Mental health difficulties that occur following MS diagnosis can impact functioning across professional and personal life domains. Importantly, mental health difficulties have direct consequences for the people with MS living with them. There are also ongoing impacts for close others, including family members and friends, MS carers, and health professionals. Establishing clear priorities for mental health treatments will therefore directly impact not just the person with MS themselves, but also those who provide ongoing care and support

This survey aims to establish the mental health priorities of people with MS, their close others, and health professionals who support them. In particular, this study will investigate what these groups view as the most important mental health difficulties for research to focus on, the key questions that need to be addressed, and what outcomes should be used to evaluate treatment effectiveness. In addition to this, information relating to factors that impact experiences engaging with mental health professionals, and areas for special consideration when treating mental health difficulties will also be explored.

Participants with MS:

• Aged at least 18 years at time of participation.
• Have received a formal diagnosis of MS.
• Ability to read and understand English. This requirement is due to the nature of the survey questions and participant information sheets/consent forms, which are written only in English.
• Australian resident.

Family Members/Carers

• Aged at least 18 years at time of participation.
• Be a family member or primary carer of someone living with MS aged at least 18 years of age.
• Ability to read and understand English. This requirement is due to the nature of the survey questions and participant information sheets/consent forms, which are written only in English.
• Australian resident.

Clinicians

•  Aged at least 18 years at time of participation.
• Have experience of working with pwMS over the age of 18 years.
• Ability to read and understand English. This requirement is due to the nature of the survey questions and participant information sheets/consent forms, which are written only in English.
• Australian resident.

• People who do not meet the above criteria.

Currently recruiting.

Dr Holly Emery – holly.emery@utas.edu.au

Full details of the study can be found on the study advertisement flyer and relevant participant information sheet:

Study advertisement flyer

Participant information sheets:

Participant with MS

Family Member/Carer

Clinician

NSW, ACT, SA, VIC, QLD, WA, TAS, NT, NZ.

Yes

14/09/2026